Method and apparatus for selection of one data set from among multiple related data sets and beaming the selected data set

• US 6,816,725 B1
• Filed: 01/31/2001
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Access Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Palmsource Incorporated (Access Company Limited)
• Inventors: McIlroy, Guy, Lemke, Steve, Raff, Chris, Flores, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US09/773,703
• Time in Patent Office: 1,378 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/414.3, 455/419, 455/420, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 705/41, 707/10, 709/200
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading

Abstract

A method and system of selecting one set of data from among multiple related data sets and beaming the data set from one handheld electronic device to another handheld electronic device. One embodiment discloses a method and system, which uses multiple cards, one for each category. The transmitter of the business card can transmit a business card from the active category of the device. Upon an attempt to transmit a business card from a category which does not have a pre-selected business card, the system issues a warning providing the user with a selection. The user has choices of sending a business card from any one category with pre-defined business card or sends a pre-defined default business card. In another embodiment, the transmitter of the business card can make a selection of a business card from a number of pre-defined electronic cards in the system and upon review of the business cards on the screen the user may decide to send the selected business card. In a third embodiment the transmitter of the business can edit a pre-defined business card and may make appropriate changes to the data field in the business card before transmitting it to the second device device.

Claims

1. A method of communicating information between electronic devices comprising:

a) defining respective information for each category in a plurality of defined categories of a database of records, wherein said respective information is for the same person but is different for said each category;

b) selecting an active category of said database of information and in response thereto, designating as active the information defined for said active category;

c) receiving a command to beam information from a first electronic device to a second electronic device using a wireless medium; and

d) automatically beaming said active information from said first electronic device to said second electronic device.

2. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said wireless medium is infrared communication.

3. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said command to beam is received in response to a user pressing a button on said first electronic device for a predetermined duration.

4. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said active category is selected by a user last displaying records of said active category on a display screen of said first electronic device.

5. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said first and said second electronic devices are palm-sized computer systems.

6. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said defined categories are selected from the group consisting of family, business and personal records.

7. A method as described in claim 1 further comprising defining default information for a defined category not having information otherwise defined for it by step a).

8. A method of communicating information between electronic devices comprising:

a) defining a plurality of electronic business cards within an electronic address book database comprising a plurality of contact records, wherein said electronic business cards are for the same individual and wherein said electronic business cards each comprise a different set of information;

b) in response to a user request to beam an electronic business card from a first electronic device to a second electronic device, displaying a respective label corresponding to each defined electronic business card on a display screen of said first electronic device;

c) allowing a user to select from said plurality of electronic business cards a selected electronic business card from said display screen; and

d) automatically beaming said selected electronic business card from said first electronic device to said second electronic device.

9. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein step c) is performed by said user tapping a screen location corresponding to a label associated with said selected electronic business card.

10. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein said first and said second electronic devices are palm-sized computer systems.

11. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein said user request to beam is generated in response to said user pressing a button on said first electronic device for a predetermined duration.

12. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein said step d) is performed using a wireless medium that is infrared communication.

13. A method of communicating information between electronic devices comprising:

a) in response to a request from a user to beam an electronic business card from a first electronic device to a second electronic device, displaying a plurality of fields of a selected electronic business card onto a display screen of said first electronic device, said selected electronic business card selected from a plurality of electronic business cards, each of said electronic business cards for said user but comprising different information for said user;

b) allowing said user to edit said plurality of fields of said selected electronic business card onto a display screen of said first electronic device by interfacing with said display screen and a digitizer of said first electronic device, said step b) creating an edited electronic business card; and

c) in response to step b), automatically beaming said edited electronic business card from said first electronic device to said second electronic device.

14. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein step b) is performed by said user tapping a screen location of a field of said selected electronic business card and using said digitizer to edit data stored within said field.

15. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein said first and said second electronic devices are palm-sized computer systems.

16. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein said request to beam is generated in response to said user pressing a button on said first electronic device for a predetermined duration.

17. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein said step c) is performed using a wireless medium that is infrared communication.